The present invention is directed generally to a support device and specifically to an anterior support device for use in the health care industry.
Many individuals suffer from lower back pain and dysfunction brought about by their work environment or other daily activities. Repetitive or prolonged activities can be attributed as a major cause of this back pain and dysfunction. Effected individuals must drastically modify their work areas in order to continue their jobs. In many instances, people must choose another field of employment.
One such example is dentists. Dentists spend a good deal of their workday leaning over patients, in a forward bent position. This position contributes to posterior disc dysfunction, which leads to back pain and disability. For dentists, back pain is one of the leading causes of early retirement.
To alleviate such back pain, some individuals turn to physical therapy. Others attempt to support their backs while on the job by using braces and cushions that are intended to support the spine in a normal, anatomical position. These devices, however, are designed to support the individual from the rear and thus are not effective for dentists and similar professionals who must be in a forward, bent position as a fundamental part of their work.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a device that supports an individual""s spine while the individual is in a forward bent position.
There is a further need in the art for a device that decreases the stress on the lower, mid, and upper back experienced by an individual while in a forward bent position.
There is yet a further need in the art for a device that extends the productive life of individuals who perform repetitive or prolonged activities as part of their employment or daily activities.
The present invention meets the needs of the prior art by providing a device that supports an individual""s spine while the individual is in a forward bent position. The device includes a padded rest on which an individual could lean while working in a forward bent position and brackets for adjusting the angle, height, and position of the device. Since the individual leans against the rest, the stresses experienced in the lower, middle and upper back are substantially decreased. Reducing such stress decreases the pain experienced by the individual as well as extends his or her productive life.